


Always With You

by liraeth_archive



Series: Always With You [1]
Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-03-05 16:49:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 19,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18832708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liraeth_archive/pseuds/liraeth_archive
Summary: Originally Published c. 2002It is time for her to return home. Usagi's people are at war, and she must leave her home in Japan to help them. But there are problems other than the war that she must face. A forbidden romance, for one. And the fact that the senshi are tagging along for the ride.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a completed fanfiction originally posted circa 2002. It is being posted on AO3 for archival purposes only.

Minako grinned as she spotted one of her friends and pushed through the after school crowd to get to her. She stopped short, however, as she realized that her friend wasn’t alone. From what she could see, and that wasn’t very much, her best friend Usagi was leaning against one of the trees in the school courtyard and having a very animated conversation with another girl. She looked quite angry and the other girl wasn’t much happier.

 The other girl… now she caught Minako’s attention without any difficulty. She seemed out of place in the high school yard. For one, she was much too tall. And her brown hair and blue eyes along with her height showed her to be foreign. Her clothing, too, was out of place. She wore a simple white dress, but looking closer Minako could see that the tread used on it was silver.

 “ _Amin uum mali_  [I don’t care]!” Usagi’s shouting brought her attention back to the shorter blond. Minako had no idea what her friend had said. In fact, she didn’t even know that the other girl knew any languages other than Japanese.

 The other girl responded much more calmly, also speaking that strange language. “ _Mankoi_  [Why]?”

 That one word seemed to startle Usagi, and the blond leaned her head back and glanced up at the green leaves of the tree. When she finally spoke, it was much softer. “ _Arwen, gwaith sí meleth enni_  [Arwen, people here love me].” She said quietly. Minako had to strain to hear her. “ _Im car ú iest awartha i firiath forgam si_  [I do not wish to abandon the mortals right now].”

 Arwen, if that was the brunette’s name, sighed and placed a hand on the blond’s shoulder. “You can’t just abandon your people, either.” She said gently. “They need you. We need you. Please, say you’ll come.”

 Usagi pushed herself away from the tree and picked up her school bag, which had been sitting on the ground beside her. “ _Amin uum sint_  [I don’t know].” She said. “Give me a day.”

 “I will meet you at the Mallorn*-tree tomorrow when the sun is at its zenith.” Arwen said. “ _Im dartha an i peth_  [I await your decision].”

 “I’ll be there, whether my decision is to stay or go.” Usagi bowed slightly. “Until then.” She turned without waiting for a response and left the spot. Minako watched her go, and when she turned back, Arwen had vanished.

~

 Usagi was furious. As she walked she muttered to herself angrily. Her anger distracted her, and she was unaware of another blond girl following just behind her. “…can’t expect me to make a choice like this.” The wind picked up, carrying some of Usagi’s conversation to the girl behind her. “I can’t believe this is happening to me!”

 Minako was by this time incredibly confused. What was happening, and who was that other girl? And what on earth had they been saying. It wasn’t English; Minako had lived in England for a while. But what was it?

 Ahead of her, Usagi stopped suddenly. Minako had to stop just as quickly to avoid bumping into her. The other girl tilted her head to the side and, without turning around, began to speak. “I know you’re following me Mina-chan.” She said. “How much did you see?”

 “What?” Minako was shocked speechless for a moment.

 Turning around, Usagi smiled slightly. The smile didn’t reach her eyes. “I know you saw my conversation with Arwen in the school yard.” She said. A sigh, then, “You weren’t meant to see that, you know.”

 Minako shook her head. “What’s going on, Usa?” She asked.

 The blond made a gesture for Minako to come closer and turned to continue walking. She had to hurry to keep up. “Rei won’t be happy if we’re late again.” She said. “But, I suppose I should explain…” She exhaled deeply. “I meant to tell you all eventually, but now the time has finally come. And too soon, in my opinion. But I’ll explain in a few minutes, at the meeting.” She pointed to the distant steps that led to the Shinto Temple. “We’re almost there. Just a few more minutes, then I’ll explain everything.”

~

 Nervousness was not usually something the other girls saw in Usagi, but right now she was definitely nervous. She was unconsciously twirling a strand of blond hair around her fingers and was mouthing softly to herself. Finally, she looked up as Makoto arrived and set a plate of cookies on the table.

 “Now, you wanted to tell us something, Usagi?” Rei began. She grabbed a cookie- chocolate chip, from the looks- and nibbled on it as she listened.

 Usagi looked up and bit her lower lip. “Oh great.” She muttered quickly. Then she spoke up. “Some things have been happening lately in my life that you don’t know about.” She said.

 “What kind of things?” This came from Makoto. “I don’t understand, Usagi.”

 “This afternoon, my elder sister showed up.” She began. She held up a hand as Ami opened her mouth to interrupt. “I know you all are wondering what I’m talking about. You see, I’m not originally from here, from Japan. I came here to Tokyo six years ago…

///Flash-back\\\\\

 “You aren’t actually serious, are you?” Arwen was practically frantic, doing everything in her power to change her younger sister’s mind. “Father, please. Don’t let her just go off like this!” When her father didn’t say anything, she turned her attention back to her sister. “Please, Ithil, don’t go.”

 Ithil shook her head, her blond hair- so uncommon among the Elves of Imladris- falling over her shoulders. “I am not a child anymore, Arwen.” She said. “I am almost two thousand years old, old enough to make my own choices. I am going.”

 Their father, the Lord Elrond, spoke up; his voice was soft but filled with sorrow. “I cannot stop you, it is true, Ithil.” He said. “But I ask that you take caution. It is a difficult task to cross between worlds, and the world you are going to is much different from our own. You may have to disguise your appearance, learn a new language, and you will be facing things you have never before seen.”

 His youngest daughter nodded. “I do understand.” She said. “And I won’t be gone for long. Five mortal years, at most.”

 Arwen finally nodded and pulled her sister into a hug. “ _Lle vesta tanya_  [Do you promise that]?” She whispered. “ _Lle_  [Do you]?”

  “I promise I shall return.” Ithil said. She kissed her sister on the cheek. “I’ll miss you, but I cannot stay here forever.”

\\\\\End Flash-back///

 “So I came here. And though I wasn’t going to stay very long, I did.” Usagi looked at each of her friends, one by one. “Becoming a senshi was the first reason. You four were the second. And the family and friends I have here are very special to me.”

 Ami shook her head. “I don’t understand any of this. You said that in the world you’re from, your name was Ithil, correct?” She began.

 Usagi- or Ithil- nodded. “Right. It’s the Elfish word for the moon.”

 “Uh…” Minako hesitated. “Elfish? As in Elfs?”

A soft glow illuminated from Usagi’s forehead, then moved to envelope her entire body. As soon as the glow vanished, a very different person sat where the blond girl had just been.

 Her hair was shorter, and straight down her back instead of in odangos. Instead of the bright blond, it was now a pale color, almost white. She was now taller, too. Her clothing had changed, and she now wore a white dress with silver threading. Exactly, Minako noticed, like that Arwen girl.

 “Wow.” Came from Rei. That summed it up pretty nicely, too. The black haired girl blinked once, twice, then shook her head. “I’m not sure if I should be surprised or just accept it and move on.” She said.

 Minako’s eyes trailed up to Usagi’s face. Her ears were, indeed, pointed like an elf’s ears, she noted. “Uh, Usa-chan, or Ithil, or whatever I’m supposed to call you…” She paused. “Don’t get me wrong or anything, but… aren’t elves supposed to be small little men who live in the North Pole?”

 A soft giggle from Usagi, then she spoke. Her voice was different, lighter and with a small accent. “Whichever is fine.” She said. “I’m not quite sure where that idea came from. I’m actually quite short for an Elf.”

 A knock on the door drew everyone’s attention away from Usagi for a moment. The door slid open to reveal Mamoru, who let himself in and sat down next to Ami. He glanced over at Usagi, sure that she’d be mad at him for ignoring her, but was never able to complete that thought.

 A gorgeous blond girl was sitting where Usagi normally sat. She looked a little like his girlfriend, yes, but she was too… gentle to be his Usako. The new girl had a look of sadness on her face as she watched him watching her.

 “Gomen nasai, miss.” He rose and bowed to her politely. “I don’t believe we’ve met.”

 The girl sighed and allowed a small smile to grace her lips before turning her serious eyes back on him. “Of course we have, Mamoru.” Her voice was like bells. “It is I, Usagi.”

 Mamoru’s jaw just about hit the floor. This… princess was his Usako? “What’s going on here?” He demanded. “Usako, is that really you?”

 “Mamoru-san” She emphasized the ‘san’. “Things have changed. I am not your Usako anymore, nor was I ever really. My heart has and will always belong to another. I love you, do not get me wrong, but we are not meant to be.” This speech seemed to drain her and she slumped back against the wall behind her.

 He managed to get out a sound. “Huh?”

 Minako grinned, deciding it was time to take this into her own hands. “Mamoru-kun, meet Ithil.” She said. “She’s an Elf from another world who came here to visit for a while. Now she’s gonna go home.”  She paused, then glanced at the other girl. “Uh, Usa- I mean Ithil… Who’s the guy you’re so in love with? Hm?”

 Usagi- no Ithil- glanced up, her face blank. “He is the one I have loved since I first laid eyes on him many years ago.” She looked away. “But, I am not allowed to love him, nor he to love me. It is forbidden. Our love must be hidden, so the others don't find out.”

 Makoto saw the pain in her friend’s eyes, and quickly changed the subject. A glance at Mamoru told her that he was about to lose it, anyways. “Uhh… Ithil… you are planning to take us with you when you return to your home, right?” She asked.

 Ithil looked up, her face now full of shock. “What? All of you, in my world?” She laughed softly. “You may accompany me if you wish, but it may not be what you expect. We are at war and….” She trailed off, her eyes suddenly brightening. “Yes, I think it may be for the best if you came. The abilities of the senshi may be just what we need to win this war.” 


	2. Chapter 2

The park was almost totally empty except for four girls sitting underneath one of the large trees near the lake. The sun was slowly inching up the horizon, and Minako’s watch indicated that it was ten minutes until twelve.

 Usagi- Ithil, Minako mentally corrected- was sitting perfectly still against the tree. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing deeply as though asleep. Only the occasional movement of her eyebrows said she was still awake. But she looked like she was thinking about something.

 Without warning, Ithil snapped her eyes open and rose. One pale hand shaded her eyes as she looked out around the park. “Arwen?” She said aloud hesitantly. There was no answer for a long moment, and the silence made everyone shift uncomfortably. Then there was a soft white light, and a figure appeared next to their small group.

 “Ithil.” It was the girl from the schoolyard, Minako noted. Arwen, the older sister. “ _Amin elea lle_. [I see you came].”

 The blond elf smiled slightly. “I gave you my word that I would. I will return home, but not alone.” She said. Turning, she gestured to the three girls behind her. “These are three of my friends. They are  _istari_ *.” She explained, using the elvish word for wizards.

 Arwen studied them for a minute before nodding. “Then they may come as well.” She made a motion for them to gather around. “We should go now, before a mortal notices us here.”

 Ithil turned and looked at her friends. She and her sister combined would only have enough strength to bring three others, so the girls had decided who would come. Makoto had been the first choice, as she had no family to worry about her disappearance. Minako had volunteered next, stating that her parents were never their since they lived in England most of the time. The third choice had been tricky. Mamoru, Rei, and Ami had all insisted that they should go. Ami ended up being the final choice. Her genius would be the most useful.

 It had hurt Ithil to leave Rei and Mamoru. She had explained to Mamoru that his power was in connection to Earth, and that he would be near-useless in Middle-earth. Rei had smiled weakly, but assured her that she was fine with the decision. Ithil had given her oath that at the first opportunity, she’d return for the fire-senshi.

 Thank goodness none of the Outers were around. It would have been a pain in the ass with them all trying to protect her.

 But now, she joined hands with her older sister on her left and Ami on her right and closed her eyes. The others followed, the five of them forming a small circle beneath the tall, green tree.

 It was Arwen who began the spell, and Ithil quickly joined in. “ _Lema ed’ templa_  [roughly translated, it means Teleport].” She murmured. “ _Sii_  [Now].” She repeated the spell until a white light glowed around them. Then everything went dark.

~

 When Makoto came to, she was lying down on the bare earth with a roll of cloth rolled up under her head as a pillow. She rose, groaning slightly as a pounding headache struck, and caught her balance against a tree trunk before looking around.

 She was in the middle of some kind of make-shift camp, from the looks of it. A small fire was burning a bit further away, with what looked like rabbit roasting above it. Her growling stomach reminded her that she had not eaten lunch, and a look at the sky told her it was past supper-time. She quickly made her way over to the fire, all the while looking for signs of her friends.

 As she approached the fire, she noticed three figures sitting off to the side, talking softly. Food was forgotten temporarily as she walked over to the small group. It turned out to be Ami, Minako, and the Elf girl Arwen. All three looked up as she sat down next to them.

 “Where’s Usagi?” She asked.

 Arwen looked confused for a second before recognition dawned in her eyes. “Ah, you mean Ithil.” She said. “She went to gather more food, since we have none here.”

 Just as she finished, the girl in mention appeared. In her hand were two more rabbits and some green vegetables that Makoto didn’t recognize. She blinked as she took in her friend’s [appearance](https://web.archive.org/web/20050328204043/http://home.1asphost.com/ayali/alwayswithyoupic2.html).

 Ithil’s hair was pulled back and tied with what looked like a strip of leather. She wasn’t wearing the street clothes they’d come here in; now she was wearing dark brown slacks and a dark green tunic of a darker green shirt. She winked as she caught her friend’s eye.

 “I requested that Arwen bring some stuff with her.” She said. She set the food down near the fire and Makoto noticed that a quiver of arrows and a strung bow were hanging over her chest. These she now pulled off and propped against a tree. Then she sat down on the ground and pulled a long knife out of her boots.

 As she prepared the food, she spoke. “Right now, we are a days walk from the Elvin city of Imladris. Or Rivendell, as the Men call it. If we don’t run into any trouble, we can be there by tomorrow afternoon.” She said. “This place is a sacred place called Uialtum, Twilight Valley. It is a good place to work large magic spells like the teleporting one we did. Of course, that didn’t go too well for you three as I’m sure you know.”

 Arwen nodded, taking over. “If we are lucky, our father will by now have realized our return and will send someone to meet us.” She said. “If not, then I will ride ahead tomorrow and inform the city of your arrival.” She pointed to her horse, a tall white mare who’d reigns were tied to a tree branch a little farther away.

 “Hopefully someone will meet us; and bring horses, too.” Ithil added. “Now, supper’s ready. It isn’t much; the game here is scarce.”

~

 The moon was the only light that night. They had put the fire out soon after darkness had fallen since the night was warm, and after that the three humans had drifted off to sleep. Arwen and Ithil had stayed up later, catching up on what had happened

 After Arwen had fallen asleep, Ithil had pulled herself up into a nearby tree and curled up in the branches. She’s claimed first watch, so she had a good six hours before she would wake her sister.

 Right then, she was looking up at the stars above her, picking out the familiar constellations. There was only a half-moon that night, but it’s weak white light was just enough to show everything around them. Including the rider that was slowly making its way towards them.

 Ithil’s attention quickly focused on the approaching figure. Her muscles tensed, and she gripped her knife tightly in one clenched fist. The rider had definitely spotted their camp and was making a straight line for it. Squinting her eyes, she could see that he- or she- was completely covered in a dark cloak and the deep hood covered his- or her- face.

 The rider reigned in just short of the camp and demounted. Cautiously, the figure made its way towards the camp until he was standing just beneath the tree that Ithil was perched in. Before he- for the figure suggested it to be a man- could go any further, he found himself lying flat of his back with a gleaming sliver blade pressed against his throat.

 “ _Ya naa lle_  [Who are you]?” Ithil bit out, pressing her knife to his throat. “ _Mani naa lle umien sinome_  [What are you doing here]?”

 The stranger whispered back quickly, “ _Mae govannen, Ithil_  [Well met, Ithil].” His voice was familiar and the blond elf almost gasped as she placed it.

 With a swift movement, she pushed the stranger’s hood back and instantly recognized the face. “ _Mela en’ coiamin_  [Love of my life].” She whispered. “Nae saian luume’ [It has been too long] …

 Before she could finish the sentence, a strong hand reached behind her neck and pulled her towards him for a mind-shattering kiss. 


	3. Chapter 3

A soft groan escaped her lips he began placing light kisses on her face and throat. Then his lips found hers again and she closed her eyes tightly, savoring the taste of him. She broke the kiss after a moment and took a deep breath, her forehead against his. Staring into his icy blue eyes, she kissed him again; just once, quick but full of passion.

 “ _Mankoi naa lle sinome_  [Why are you here]?” She asked softly. “It isn’t safe for us to be together. Someone may find out.”

 He smiled softly. “I’ve missed you too much to care about others right now.” He said. “Six years is too long to go without seeing you. Besides, neither of our fathers is here right now. We’re safe for the time being.”

 Ithil sighed. “Good.” She said. Then she frowned slightly. “But, why are you here?” She asked.

 Smiling, he explained. “Your father needed someone to come out and bring you horses. I volunteered, along with Aragorn.” He glanced backwards towards where he’d come from. “He should be here in a while. I, on the other hand, volunteered to go ahead and let the one on watch know of our arrival.”

 “Mmm… How long do you think we have?”

 A soft kiss was planted on her lips. “Not enough.” He said. “But when we return home we shall have more time. A council was called by the Elf-lords. I’ll be here for months.”

 She kissed him back, bringing her hands up to his neck and drawing him closer to her. “ _Nae saian luume’_  [It has been too long]” Ithil said between kisses. “ _Oio naa elealla alasse’, Laeglassamin_.” [Ever is thy site a joy, my Legolas]

 “ _Amin mela lle_.” [I love you] Legolas whispered into her ear.

 Smiling, Ithil opened her mouth to respond. “ _Ar’ amin_ -

 She stopped mid-sentence as a sharp crack sliced through the silence of the night. Instinctively, she pulled away from her love and she grabbed her dagger- which she’d dropped to the ground beside her- and rose. “Who is there?” She called out softly.

 Almost immediately, she was aware of a white figure shrouded in shadow beneath a tree. Her eyes focused in the dim moonlight and she could make out who it was. “Arwen.” She breathed, unconsciously taking a step backwards. “ _Mani ume lle elea_?” [What did you see?]

 “Enough.” She glanced over at the other blond Elf, who had risen and was brushing himself off. “ _Laeglass, mankoi n’lle auta hama neva i’naur? Lle anta est_. [Legolas, why don’t you go sit near the fire? You need to rest.]

 Nodding, the archer-Elf left the area, but not without one last glance at Ithil. She merely grinned at him and mouthed ‘don’t worry’. Then he vanished towards the dim fire that Arwen had relit.

~

 Glancing down at her boots, Ithil began to speak. “Arwen, I know you saw that and I’m begging you not to tell anyone.” She said. “Especially not father or the Lord Thranduil.”

 When she looked back up, she saw Arwen grinning at her. “Please, Ithil, I’ve known about you two for Ages. Everytime you vanished, so did he.” She shrugged. “And I’ve always covered up for you whenever father asked where you’d gone off to. Even our brothers and Aragorn have noticed that there is something between you two. I think that perhaps father is the only one who does not know.”

 “Really?” Ithil approached the older Elf. “Thank you. And I should probably tell you that Aragorn will be here any moment.”

 With a small sound, Arwen vanished back into the camp, most likely to get ready for her love to arrive. Smiling to herself, Ithil went back to the camp and sat down across from Legolas in front of the fire. Around her, she could see the sleeping bodies of her three friends, and she could tell that Legolas was curious about them.

 “They are friends of mine, _Istari_  from another world.” She said, answering his unspoken question. “I should probably wake them before Aragorn arrives. It may be best for us to set off during the night, under cover of the darkness.”

 Legolas nodded. “But there is a small problem,  _Melamin_  [My Love].” He said after a second. “Aragorn and I only have two extra horses, not enough for your friends.”

 Ithil sat thoughtfully for a moment, glancing at her friends silently. When she looked back up, she had a sly look in her eyes. “Well, then.” She said. “It looks like we may have to ride two to a horse.”

 He laughed softly. “Then we shall.” He said. He tilted his head to the side and listened for a moment before rising. “I hear Aragorn with the horses. You awaken your friends and I shall go meet him.”

 Moving away from the fire, Ithil moved over to the closest mortal girl, Makoto. With a gently tap on the shoulder, she woke her friend up and helped her to rise. “We will be moving out soon.” She whispered. “Help me wake the others.”

 When Legolas returned with Aragorn, all three girls were awake and they, Ithil, and Arwen were splitting a bit of lembas near the fire. All five glanced up and rose as the four horses stopped near them.

 Aragorn smiled as Arwen approached, pulling her up before him in the saddle and kissing her gently before murmuring to her softly in Elvish. Itihl and Legolas exchanged a look that very plainly said they saw this all the time.

 “Amy, Minako.” Ithil’s sudden words cut through the silence. “You two will need to ride together on one horse. Mako-chan, you will ride alone.” All three nodded. Their friend had explained this earlier. Now they moved to their horses and pulled themselves up with only little help from the blond Elf.

 When Ithil had gracefully pulled herself up to sit behind Legolas, Aragorn spoke. “There have been sightings of the Nazgul in this area for several days now. We must ride hard to avoid battle.”

 Ithil couldn’t avoid the shiver that ran through her at those words. The Nazgul were this close to Rivendell. Ringwraiths, as they were also called, were among the most powerful hosts in the Dark Lord’s army. Just their presence was enough to send an ordinary Man cowering in fear. If they ran into a Nazgul that night, there would be little they could do but hope to outrun it.

~

 They stopped just after sunrise. The horses were left to graze while the seven people sat on the ground and split some dried meat between them. They could hear the sounds of a river flowing nearby; the river marked the boundary of Imladris. Once they crossed it, they would be safe.

 Ithil had long since dozed off, her head leaning against Legolas’ chest and his arms wrapped protectively around her. The three senshi smiled to themselves, knowing this was who Usagi had been in love with.

 They had been warned- without Ithil’s knowledge, of course- about the two elves’ situation. All of them knew that once they crossed the river, they would have to go back to being just acquaintances. The couple was determined to spend as much time together as possible.

 Aragorn signaled that it was time to move out, and all rose. Minako, Ami, and Makoto looked exhausted and sore; they were not used to riding horses like this and doing so on very little sleep.

 The Ranger led them through the woods and across the river. Even as they crossed the flowing water, they could sense the strong magic in the air around them. Ithil’s eyes lit up, and she sat up straighter in her saddle. Even the other three senshi seemed more energetic and eager.

 Then the white gates of Imladris were before them, and a lone figure waited patiently to meet them.

 Without warning, Ithil slid down from her spot in front of Legolas and rushed into the waiting arms of the man in front of her. “ _Adar_!” She cried as she through her arms around his neck. [Father!]   
 


	4. Chapter 4

Ithil sat silently before her father, sipping a glass of cool wine and watching him watching her. Aragorn and Arwen had gone off almost as soon as they’d arrived, vanishing to who knows where. She had been separated from the other senshi, whom the servants had led to rooms to change and rest. Her father had told her to meet him in his private study after she herself changed, which is how she found herself here right now.

 “You know you can’t avoid this forever.” Elrond’s sudden words cut through the silence. When she said nothing, he continued. “You are only postponing this marriage. You may think that bringing your friends here would give you time to stay single, and it will, but they must leave eventually. And when they do, your responsibility for them will end and you’ll have no excuse but to wed.”

 The blond’s eyes widened as her father spoke. He’d uncovered the truth much quicker than she had thought he would. “I don’t love him.” She said, her voice emotionless. “I want to choose who I marry, and marry for love. Not to secure a bloodline.”

 The Elvin Lord frowned. “For ten years you have avoided this, and time is running out. I will let it be put off for no longer. You will leave for Lothlorien in two days, and when you arrive, you shall be wed to Haldir. And that is final.”

 Blue eyes glared fiercely at the older Elf. “Why me?” She asked angrily. “Why do I have this responsibility?”

 He had been expecting this question, and he now explained. “The ties between Lothlorien and Imladris are fragile. We are linked together now because of your mother, who was the Lady Galadriel’s daughter. When Celebrian sailed West, I managed to keep this tie secure. But it is not as strong as before, and soon both Galadriel and I will go West to Valinor as well. When I go, one of your brothers, either Elrohir or Elladan, will take over in my place. Arwen is already betrothed, to Aragorn. That leaves you, the youngest of my children. Your marriage to Haldir will help carry on the royal bloodline in Lothlorien, and strengthen ties between us.”

 Ithil sat quietly, contemplating her father’s words. It was true, she needed to wed this Haldir, who was a high-ranking noble in the Lorien realm, to secure the bloodline. Her grandmother, Galadriel, would need an heir. And because of this engagement that her father and grandmother had arranged, she was bound to marry someone other than her beloved. The love she had for Legolas was forbidden, and she hated her father’s decision because of this.

 “Who shall be accompining me to Lothlorien?” She finally asked after a moment. That only left her one day with the Mirkwood prince; one last day to love him before she would be gone.

 “Tomorrow, we shall hold Council with all races in Middle-earth. Those selected will have to pass through the Golden Woods on their journey. They shall escort you.” He seemed to have worked this out already.

 Ithil sat up straight. “The Council is tommorow?” She asked. “I was told it was not for months!”

 Elrond nodded. “It was, but all representatives have already arrived. Therefore, it makes sense to hold it as soon as possible.”

 Her mind searched frantically for a reason, any reason, to stay longer in Imladris. Legolas would be at the Council all day tomorrow, so she wouldn’t get to be with him. “What about my friends?” She pointed out. “What shall happen to them?”

 “They will stay here for some time.” He said. “All three girls are trained in magic, I sense. They will do best here to further enhance their skills. And when the time comes, I will send them with your brothers to fight at Mordor. Besides, here they will be able to summon your other friends, right?”

 Ithil blinked. “How did you know there are others?” She asked. “And why would they go to fight and not me?”

 Now the Lord of Imladris was smiling. “I watched you from time to time, you know.” He said. “I saw that you and other girls used magic to help protect that world. And you must not forget that you will be married. Haldir may not approve of your fighting.”

 She rose abruptly, setting her now-empty wine glass on the table before her. “I will not be treated like an inferior to him.” She said harshly. “My battle skills are much better than most Elves, and my skills with magic are greater than all of my friends. I will not be left out of this battle.  _Rangwa_? [Understand]”

 With that, she stormed from the room, missing the look of shock that quickly passed over her father’s face, which was quickly replaced by determination and mild anger.

~

 Minako found Usagi- Ithil, she mentally corrected- outside in a training area. The blond Elf was seated on the grass with a short-sword in her lap and a rag in her hand, cleaning the blade. She was muttering angrily to herself, and looked up sharply as she sensed someone approaching. She visibly relaxed when she saw who it was.

 “Mina-chan.” She rose, using the sword to balance on. “What’s up?”

 Instead of responding, the other blond simply studied her friend. Even with the physical change from Usagi to Ithil, her emotions were still the same. And right now, she could tell that her friend was very angry and stressed about something. “Do you want to talk about it?” She asked. “I mean, about whatever’s bothering you?”

 Ithil sighed and ran her free hand through her hair. “It’s a long story.” Her eyes didn’t meet the human’s as she sheathed the sword and buckled it around her waist.

 “I have time.”

~

 When Ami and Makoto wandered out into the courtyard, they were greeted with the sounds of heavy metal clinking together and several people talking. Curious, they followed the noise. A ring of people had circled around one of the clearings, all of them focused on two others who stood panting and sweating in the midday sun.

 Makoto gasped as she realized whom the people were. Two very familiar blonds stared at each other, both seemingly unaware of the audience they’d gathered. Neither’s eyes left the other, instead searching for some kind of weakness.

 Without warning, they lunged at each other, and then the two senshi could see they both held swords clenched tightly in their hands. Metal met metal with a loud clank, then separated again.

 As if in agreement, both girls relaxed and set their swords down and wiped the sweat off their foreheads. “Thanks for the practice.” Usagi grinned at her equally exhausted sparring partner, who smiled back. The crowd around them drifted off, leaving the four girls alone.

 “I was out of practice myself.” Minako replied. “It’s been a while since I’ve used a sword. (A/N: Manga-verse. Minako has that sword made of the Ginzuishou / Crystal.) Anyways, feel better now?”

 Usagi nodded. “You bet. But now I’m absolutely starving.” She laughed, then turned to face the other two girls who were watching her. “Hey, Mako-chan! Ami-chan! C’mon. We’re gonna go get lunch.”

 Minako made a face. “I could eat just about anything right now.” She said. “Damn, girl. Where’d you learn to sword-fight like that?”

 Laughing, Ithil replied, “You forget. I’ve been alive here for several millennia. Plus, I have two older brothers. I learned how to fight a while ago.” Her face fell back to seriousness. “Thanks for listening.”

 Ami frowned. “Please explain to me, one of you, what is going on. From what I understand, Usagi- Ithil sorry-

 “Usagi is fine” The other blond butted in.

 “Usagi then, was telling Minako about something or other, and then you somehow wound up sparring to… I dunno… I guess relieve anger.” The blue haired girl continued.

 “That’s about right.” Minako said. “Usa-chan was stressed out over something, and I helped her vent out that stress. C’mon, let’s go eat and I’ll explain it all to you.”

~

 The moon rose over Rivendell, casting its golden light upon the sleeping city. Only a few servants were about, and none were out where the royal family’s quarters were located. All the same, one blond princess was extra quiet as she locked her door and opened the window to her balcony.

 Using only the moonlight and starlight, she managed to swing over the edge of the balcony rail and landed easily on the grass below. From there, it was easy. The room she was looking for was not too far away, and the window to the room was open just as she’d expected it to be.

 With the grace of a cat, she pulled herself through the window and into the room. Two strong hands helped her up, then pulled her into an embrace once she was inside the bedroom.

 “I never got to finish what I was saying to you last night.” Her voice was low, but he could hear it clearly in the silence.

 Smiling, he asked, “What was that?”

 She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself up until they were face to face. “I love you.” She whispered before crushing her lips to his. 


	5. Chapter 5

It was just before dawn when she was awoken by the sound of knocking on the door. She opened one eye and stared at the now-awake figure next to her. “You’d better answer that.” She whispered softly. “And I should go, before anyone realizes I’m not in my room.”

Soft lips claimed hers in a quick but passionate kiss before Legolas rolled out of the bed and moved towards the door. Ithil watched him before she, too, left the warmth of the bed and made her way to the window. She saw him glance over his shoulder and smile before she was gone the same way she’d arrived.

As she made her way back to her own room, she allowed her thoughts to drift to the previous few hours. It had been all that was necessary, just the two of them in each others arms, sleeping peacefully.

Her window was slightly ajar from her escape through it last night. With the grace of a cat, she pulled her self up and in the opening. And froze.

Sitting in the middle of her un-slept-in bed was Arwen, all dressed up in white robes and wearing a grin bigger that that of the Cheshire Cat’s. “Ithil, Ithil.” Her voice held none of the laughter that was so plainly evident in her eyes. “Father sent me to awaken you and prepare you for the Council.”

“Prepare me?” Ithil pushed down a groan. “Oh, no. Nuh uh. I’m not wearing robes. Not a chance!” Her eyes caught the light green robes that were neatly folded on her dresser. “Especially not those!”

~

Two hours later found a very resigned blond princess sitting beside her father. Arwen had blackmailed her into wearing the robes, threatening to tell their father where she had gone the previous night. The older Elf had even managed to get one of the silver circlets on Ithil’s head. Not an easy task; Ithil greatly disliked showing her royal position in public and the circlet was a symbol of royalty.

The men- she was the only woman, and had received many strange looks for it- had been talking now for almost an hour and had gotten nowhere. ‘And now,’ She noted, rolling her eyes. ‘They are arguing like children.’

It was the man, Boromir’s, fault. He was against the destruction of the ring. Plain and simple. A movement out of the corner of her eye gave her an excuse to turn her mind from the argument. In the bushes surrounding the Council’s meeting space, a small figure was almost invisible.

It was one of the Halflings. Sam, if she could remember correctly. His gaze was intently focused on his master. Frodo, she now noticed, had risen and was claiming that he would take the ring.

The Hobbit was brave, without a doubt. But his friends, they were just plain stupid. She watched, half amused, as the rest of the Fellowship was formed. Her own Legolas had joined; Mithrandir, a Dwarf, the man Boromir, and Estel, her foster brother, had followed. And then, of course, the three other Hobbits.

It was almost obvious that the three little ones would be no more than a hindrance throughout the quest. But, she could see in her father’s eyes that they were destined to go.

So it was decided. The nine of the Fellowship would set of the following morning, and she would travel with them as far as Lothlorien. Her father was set against this marriage. She didn’t even dare suggest Legolas as a husband. Thranduil, the Lord of Mirkwood and Legolas’ father, and her own father did not get along well. At all.   
As she changed out of her robes in her bedroom and began to pack for the approaching journey, she silently cursed her mother. If her mother had not sailed West all those years ago, she would not be stuck in this situation. Her grandmother would be going West soon, too.

She quickly apologized mentally both to Eru and her mother for her negative thoughts and left her room in search of Legolas. Who knew how much time they would have alone on this trip. Any time they could spend together before the journey was needed.

~

All business for the day had been taken care of, and Elrond finally found the time to relax. He swirled the glass of wine in his hand absently, his mind on other things. He barely noticed when the door to his study opened and his friend stepped in.

“Father?”

The lord of Imladris glanced up at his eldest son. Elladan was much like his father in many ways, but he most resembled his mother. “Yes?” He took a sip of his wine and waited for a reply.

Elladan shifted almost nervously. “Father, I know you have already decided that Ithil will go to Lothlorien, but I beg you-

The older man cut him off. “You are asking me to reconsider?” He said. His son nodded, slightly angry at having been cut off in mid-sentence. “I have made my final decision. It will be good for Ithil to marry in to a noble family, and perhaps being married will even tame her warrior spirit a bit.”

Frowning, Elladan tried a different approach. “What about our ties with Mirkwood? Long have our two provinces been at odds. Marrying Ithil into the royal family in Greenwood the Great would be much more benefiting to us. Why not marry her off to that son of Thranduil? Legolas, I believe he’s called.”

“Send her off to the wilds of Mirkwood and the house of that fool, Thranduil?” Elrond glared angrily into his cup. “That stupid fool. I would never send my daughter to marry into such an honor-less family. Ever since his fool of a father died, Thranduil’s blamed it on me. Oropher’s death was his own fault, yet the son of Oropher refuses to see that.”

Silently, Elladan apologized to his sister. He knew she and Legolas were close, and he knew that marrying her to Haldir of Lorien might cause enough grief to kill her. But his father would never listen to him. Sighing and bowing slightly, he turned and left the room.

~

The moon was reaching its zenith, and most of Imladris was asleep.  In the courtyard, where the silvery moonlight was all there was to see by, two figures sat laughing softly together, wrapped up tightly in each others arms.

“It was so hard to act so immature and helpless.” Ithil’s voice was almost whispering, but her amusement could plainly be heard in it. “They all believed that I was a crying, whining, immature child. It was so fun, though!”

Legolas grinned. “You have yet to show me this ‘sailor fuku’ as you call it. From the descriptions I got from your friends, it’s something I truly would like to see.”

Ithil blushed slightly. “My friends talk to much.” She said.

She got a look that very clearly said ‘Let’s see it’. With a small sigh, she rose and took a few steps back. “Fine. But you asked for it.” She frowned, grumbling under her breath, and held up her right hand. “Moon Crystal Power!”

As the Prince of Mirkwood watched, a flash of light surrounded his lover, and with a flash of feathers and ribbons the light died down. Then his jaw dropped. “What is that?” He managed to get out.

Gone was the white dress robe she’d slipped on to visit him with. Instead, she was wearing an incredibly indecent skirt with a tight white bodice and two bows, one of which was placed in a very *ahem* inappropriate location. But damn! did she look sexy…

“ _Melamin_?” His voice was hoarse as he watched her drop the transformation.

She grinned and moved closer, gently kissing him. A wicked smile graced her lips. “Yes?”

He responded with a forceful kiss, wrapping his arms around her neck. Somehow, they managed to make it to his bedroom before much else happened… 


	6. Chapter 6

 Ithil stretched luxuriously under the covers as the morning sun’s light slipped over the horizon. She felt her body rub against another warm body next to her, and wrapped an arm around him, snuggling closer and sighing contentedly.

 A hand entangled itself in her hair, twirling the golden-white strands around his fingers absentmindedly. “We’re leaving in a few hours.” Legolas’ voice was still laced with sleep, something he hadn’t gotten much of the previous night. “It should take us a couple of weeks, at best, to reach Lothlorien.”

 The words caused Ithil to move even closer to him. “I’m not going to marry this Haldir person.” She said. “I don’t even know him! I want to stay with you.”

 “Shh…” Legolas stroked her cheek, wiping away the solitary tear that had managed to escape her eyes. “I have met Haldir, and he is a good and noble Elf. He will take care of you, and do everything he can to make you happy.”

 The daughter of Elrond shook her head. “You are my happiness.” Her voice wavered, and more tears threatened to fall. “If I’m forced to go through with this marriage, I’ll die of grief. And if the grief does not kill me, it shall be my own knife that does.”

 Blue eyes turned startled to look at the woman next to him. “ _Melamin_!” He shook his head. “Let us not speak of this anymore. Come, we must get ready to go.” He reluctantly pulled away from his lover, taking and wrapping a sheet around his waist as he moved towards the adjacent bathing room.

 Ithil watched him disappear into the other room before rising and slipping on the discarded robes she’d worn last night. Then she slipped out of his room and down the hall, grateful for the early hour and lack of people in the halls.

~

 The fire before her crackled as Rei closed her eyes, slipping into the hyper-keen psychic sense of her meditation. She slowly began to chant, the Japanese words flowing almost unconsciously from her mouth, reciting prayers she’d come to know only too well. She opened her mind, letting her spirit-form slip from her body and into another world: the world where Usagi was.

 It had been days since her princess and her friends had vanished. The school had alerted their parents, who had in turn alerted the police. No one knew where the four had vanished to. No one, that is, except the Shinto priestess-in-training.

 She could feel her friend’s presence far away, her psychic energy twinkling like the light of a full moon.

    ::: _Naur-sell_  [Fire-child], hear my words!::: She heard the words in her mind suddenly, loud and commanding.

    :::Who are you?::: She replied back mentally. The voice was familiar, warm like fire and somehow… comforting.

    :::I am the One to whom you pray, child of the fire.:::

    Rei sucked in a gasp. Was this truly the Voice of the fire? She could sense the being, surrounding her, flames seeming to embrace her. Then, on impulse, she looked up. And saw it. Huge, massive, overpowering. A monstrous eye, red and lidless, staring at her, its gaze tearing through her mental defenses, and penetrating to the core of her being.

     :::You are Mine,  _Naur-sell_.::: The voice filled her mind, and she couldn’t tear her gaze from the fiery eye above her. :::Mine.:::

    “Yours." her voice soft and willowy, just above a whisper. The eye spoke to her again, this time without words. She obeyed, her mind no longer her own, and rose from her kneeling place before the fire. With no warning, she flung herself into the heat and, feeling the wind blowing by her, all went black.

~

Makoto nodded as she listened to Usagi’s words. It was just after morning meal, and the blond girl had pulled her aside to speak with her.

 “The three of you are going to be staying here for a while, training. There’s an Istari who will be here soon, named Radagast. He will train you, teach you to use your magic more efficiently. And the Elves, especially my brothers, will help you learn the more basic forms of combat.” Usagi – it was still hard to think of her as Ithil- said softly.

 The brunette nodded again. “We’ll join up with the army in Minas Tirith soon.” She said the unfamiliar word with little hesitation. “Your brother… Elladan? He spoke to all of us last night.” She grinned suddenly. “You know what? You’re brothers are pretty cute!”

 Ithil laughed. “You forget, I’ve known them for thousands of years. When you know either of the twins for that long, you just think of them as annoying!”

 Both girls smiled and laughed for a bit. Then Makoto sighed. “So, I guess we’ll see you again sometime?”

 The blond didn’t answer for a long time. “I don’t know.” She finally said. “I don’t think you will, though. But maybe, if the Valar will it, we shall meet again in the future.”

 Then she turned and left without another word. ‘She didn’t even say goodbye.’ Makoto thought. ‘And she looked so… sad is too weak a word. But what did she mean…  _maybe_  again?’

~

 By noon the group of nine was fully prepared to set out on their journey. Only the tenth person, their “escortee” as she had sullenly referred to herself, was missing. And, not surprising for an Elf, unable to be found.

 Elrond had rolled his eyes when news of his daughter’s disappearance had been reported to him. He knew her well enough to know that if she didn’t want to be found, she wouldn’t be. Frustrated with her vanishing act, he sent the two people that knew her best out to search.

 At the moment, Elladan and Elrohir were bickering childishly over what the proper way of hunting Orcs was. Neither of the twins thought much of the assignment given to them by their father. They knew their younger sister, and they knew they had no chance of finding her.

 So it was by pure surprise that, rounding a corner in one of the back gardens, they almost stumbled over the small, curled up body of the young blond Elf. Ithil barely spared them a glance, her blue eyes darting up to see who had disturbed her, then returning to their original sight.

 Elrohir began to speak, but was cut off by an elbow to his gut from his twin. His mouth snapped shut, and he shot a questioning look at the other dark-haired Elf, before understanding dawned. Respectfully, he took a step backwards and fell silently to one of the many benches in the garden. A moment later, Elladan joined him. Both brothers watched their sister, waiting patiently for her to finish.

 “She was never really happy here, was she?” Ithil’s voice was soft, questioning, yet her eyes never moved away. “I wish I had known her better. I wish she were here now.”

 Elladan, always the more responsible of the four children in the family, followed his sister’s gaze to the polished marble stone. “Mother wasn’t happy originally. Like yours, her marriage to father was an arranged one for the benefit of Imladris and Lothlorien.” His eyes began to water involuntarily, like they always did when he spoke of his deceased mother. “But she grew to like, maybe even love, father in the end. And she was happy here in the end.”

 “She was almost as old I am now, when she was forced to marry*.” Ithil visibly composed herself and rose smoothly. “She would not want the same thing to happen again.” She said simply. Turning, she left the secluded corner of the garden, not looking back.

 Elladan moved to go after her, pausing when Elrohir didn’t follow. The younger twin waved him on, waiting until his brother had left after Ithil before he turned to the gravestone. “Mother.” He whispered. Absently, he traced the engraved lettering on the stone.   
 

 

_Celebrian Celeborniell ar’ Galadrieliell_ **   
 _737 SA_ ***  _~ 2510 TA_


	7. Interlude: Before Now

_~A love so right, yet so wrong. There are no words to describe such a perfect, pure love. A love more forbidden than that of Beren and Luthien. It began, bloomed like elanor in the springtime, but was forced to be kept secret. ~_

~

Ithil shifted in her saddle, attempting to take in all the beauty around her. It had been many centuries since she’d last been to Lothlorien, the home of her grandparents. Her father had brought her here on business he’d claimed involved her, but had not bothered to explain to her what the business was. He rode just before her, seeming to know exactly where he was going.

 A rustle of leaves was the only warning she had before a tall, blond Elf appeared almost magically before her father. He wore a long grey cloak that brushed his ankles as he moved to Lord Elrond’s side, and Ithil could see a short-sword at his side.

 ‘Vedui, Heru en Amin. [Greetings,  my Lord]’ The elf spoke softly, his words barely reaching Ithil despite her attempts to overhear. ‘Amin essa naa Orophin. Khila amin. [My name is Orophin. Follow me]’

 Elrond swung down easily from his mount, and the blond elf moved to help Ithil down. She hid a frown as she allowed him to aid her in dismounting. She could easily have done it herself; she was a highly trained warrior after all. But father had warned her upon first arriving in the Golden Woods to behave and act lady-like.

 ‘Galadriel Arwenamin darthalle [My Lady Galadriel awaits you]’ With these words, the Silvan elf turned and began walking.

 Elrond gave his daughter a look that clearly said “behave” before following after their guide.

 With a sigh, Ithil took the reigns of her horse and followed along. This trip was bound to be boring. She’d much rather have stayed in Imladris, but father had insisted on her coming. He never made the twins or Arwen go with him on his trips. No… Arwen got to stay home and look after young Estel, who her father had taken in after his parent’s death. The five year old was so full of energy, and it had been a long while since any children had run through her father’s house. The twins, lucky them, were out on a hunting trip. They always did what they wanted, when they wanted.

 Lost in her thoughts, the blond Noldor paid little attention to her surroundings until they had crossed Caras Galadon and were approaching the outskirts of the city of Egladil, only city in the realm. It was then that she realized the trees were thinning out and she could hear the distant voices of elves being carried on the wind.

 They passed by an area of flat, cleared fields where, Ithil noticed, archery targets had been set up. Only one elf was there now, a Sindar by looks. He glanced up as they passed by and-

Magic.

Absolutely the most gorgeous pair of blue eyes Ithil had ever seen in her entire life.

Eyes met, locked, the proverbial fireworks exploded around them.

Then the magic was ruined as a strong arm grabbed Ithil’s arm and dragged her forward. It was only then that she realized she’d stopped walking and that almost a minute had passed with them just staring into each other’s eyes, not the mere seconds it felt like.

Startled, she looked up into her father’s angry brown eyes. Her own grew wide with confusion as she was pulled away from the archer. She glanced back for a last glance and found him already gone, only his practice bow and a quiver of arrows left propped against a tree.

‘Adar [Father]…’ She pulled her arm away from his grip and moved to walk beside him. ‘I don’t understand, Father. Why are you so angry?’

Elrond sighed and the anger vanished, except in his eyes, which he kept focused on the guide before them. ‘That boy is the eldest son of Thranduil.’ He almost spat out the last word.

‘Oh.’ What else could she say? Her own blue eyes fell to the ground and she was silent for a long while.

Why did he have to be the son of Thranduil? She didn’t know why her father and the King of Greenwood- Mirkwood, she mentally corrected herself, now that the Shadow has fallen on it- were such great enemies. It had something to do, she thought, with Gil-galad and the Alliance against Sauron millennia ago, but she’d never dared to ask her father exactly why.

But, that man. He’d been… perfect was too plain a word. Just being near him had been completing. Like he was another part of her, one that she hadn’t known was missing until she’d had it and lost it again.

The first of the Talen came into view, then, and Elrond pulled her out of her thoughts as he began (quietly) discussing what etiquette she would observe when they went before the Lord and Lady.   
 

~

 Sighing disgustedly, Ithil dragged the light green tunic over her head and slipped off the horrid riding skirt. She snatched a pair of leggings that she’d snuck into her traveling pack and quickly laced them up. Then, slipping into brown boots and grabbing her gear, she ducked out of the Talen she’d been given and gracefully jumped to the ground, landing easily. The Lady had given her the rest of the afternoon to wander and explore while she talked with Elrond.

 Grinning, she turned and quickly set off for the training grounds she’d passed earlier. The blue-eyed archer from early was temporarily forgotten, replaced by focus on training.

~

 Legolas had beat a hasty retreat from the training grounds after he’d seen the woman. She was beautiful, both inside and out. Her aura radiated off of her, her inner Elvish light glowing brightly. She was almost perfect. Only one minor detail stopped him from approaching her and asking her name.

 Her father.

 He’d seen the dark-haired Elf who’d almost forcefully taken her away. And he’d recognized the older man easily. His own father often claimed “know one’s enemy”, and had taught Legolas at an early age all about Elrond, Lord of Imladris. That beautiful Elf was the daughter of his family’s most hated (non-evil) person. And that alone should have pushed all thoughts of the she-Elf from his thoughts. But it didn’t.

 Now, lying in his own Talen, he realized that, in his rush to leave, he’d left his bow and quiver in the field. With a sigh, he rose and made his way back to the training area.

~

 Focus. Draw, aim, steady, release. The arrow his just below the center, and Ithil groaned. She should have been able to easily his such and easy target. But her mind wasn’t totally on the practice anymore. Halfway through her quiver, the image of that tall, lithe body drawing an arrow had invaded her thoughts, and she’d found herself blushing, unable to continue.

 ‘Try turning your body a bit more to the right.’ The voice startled her, and she whirled around, hair flying, to see who’d managed to sneak up on her.

 And froze. ‘You.’ The word was barely audible, just a whisper, yet still he could here it.

 ‘Are you Luthien, returned to Middle-earth?’

 She smiled, shook her head. ‘I’m afraid not.’ She blushed slightly, the pink highlighting high cheekbones. ‘Though many compare my sister to her. I possess not the beauty nor the light that Luthien had.’

 Legolas smiled. ‘Ah, but there you are wrong, Lady.’

 ‘Ithil.’

 Blue eyes blinked, surprised. ‘I beg your pardon Lady…’

 Laughter cut him off. ‘No, I should be the one apologizing, my Lord. My name is Ithil, and I would ask that you call me as such, not by Lady.’

 The son of Thranduil nodded. ‘Then I would ask that you call me Legolas.’

 ‘You are the Prince of Mirkwood, are you not?’ The question was asked with a tone of sadness, Ithil begging the Valar silently that her father had been wrong.

 Her prayer went unanswered. ‘Aye, and you would be the daughter of Elrond of Rivendell?’ His voice was just as loaded with grief as hers was.

 Ithil nodded. ‘I am.’ A pause. ‘There’s something about you… something that feels so right. I can’t describe it. Even though you’re Thranduil’s son, I can’t help but feel as though my father was wrong if it meant having to hate you.’ She laughed, almost bitterly, and turned her gaze to the grass at her feet. ‘Ai, my father. Why does this hate have to be?’

 A strong hand reached up to her chin, tilting her head up so her eyes again met his. She mistook the expression on his face for disinterest and opened her mouth to speak again, this time in apology. Before she could speak, he silenced her by placing a single finger over her mouth.

 ‘What our father’s do not know won’t hurt them.’ He murmured softly.

 Then he kissed her.   
    
 

 _My fate, O King, led me hither, through perils such as few even the Elves would dare. And here I have found what I sought not indeed, but finding I would possess for ever. For it is above all the gold and silver, beyond all jewels. Neither rock, nor steel, nor the fires of Morgoth, nor all the powers of the Elf-kingdoms, shall keep from me the treasure that I desire. For Luthien your daughter is the fairest of all the Children of the World._    
-Beren, son of Barahir to Thingol - - - The Silmarillion

 _…for Luthien was the most beautiful of all the Children of Iluvatar. Blue was her raiment as the unclouded heaven, but her eyes were grey as the starlit evening; her mantle was sewn with golden flowers, but her hair was dark as the shadows of twilight. As the light upon the leaves of trees, as the voice of clear waters, as the stars above the mists of the world, such was her glory and her loveliness; and in her face was a shining light._    
-Describing Luthien Tinuviel - - - The Silmarillion   
  


	8. Chapter 8

The sun had just passed its zenith and was beginning to make its slow decent to the horizon when the ten travelers set out. Ithil was the last to leave, spending as much time talking to the senshi as she could. She spared a quick hug and a peck on the cheek for both of the twins, and a long hug from Arwen in which tears threatened to fall from both sets of eyes. Finally, moving through the gathered crowd to the gates leading out of the city, she paused. There was only one person left to say farewells to, the one she wanted least to say.

 Elrond watched his daughter silently, seemingly unaware of the emotional turmoil within her. She stopped a few feet away from him. Her gaze settled on a small patch of grass beside her foot.

 “Namarie, Heru en amin.” [Farewell, my Lord] She said after a moment. Her voice was a monotone, betraying no emotion. Neither did she look up at her father to see the reaction her words had on him. With a last look at the three senshi and Arwen, who had moved to stand together and talk quietly, she turned and brushed past the still-shocked Eldar. Then she was through the gates, and gone.

~*~

 The Lord of Imladris sighed, turning in time to see his eldest daughter leave the city. Her words still echoed in his head. My Lord. The way she had said it, as though she was but a peasant…

Heru en amin… the way a servant would address him. And she wouldn’t meet his eyes, either.

 Sighing, he turned his attention to the three girls from the other world that his daughter had left behind.

~*~

 The days passed quickly for the company. The nine of the Fellowship kept together and bonded more than they would like to admit. Even Gimli and Legolas stopped their constant arguing and settled into acceptance. Ithil kept her distance, talking only to Legolas, Aragorn, or Mithrandir. She walked just behind the company, never talking. When they stopped, she laid her blankets on the fringes of the camp and sat silently throughout the night, watching the stars brighten and dim as the moon moved across the sky.

 The first time she spoke aloud without having been spoken to first was during their rest for a midday meal when they first came in sight of the mountains. She kept her gaze fixed on the cloud-enshrouded peaks on the horizon as she spoke, neither her face nor her voice betraying any emotion.

 “Something is coming.”

 The camp fell silent and questioning gazes settled on the aloof blond Elf, but no one commented on the remark. It was not until almost half of an hour later, when Legolas jumped gracefully up on to a rock and shaded his eyes, that anyone gave any real thought to the comment.

 “What is that?” The male Elf squinted, blue eyes focused on a small smudge in the sky.

 Gimli glanced up and shrugged it off. “It’s just a wisp of cloud.” He said.

 Both Aragorn and Boromir stopped what they were doing and joined the conversation. “It’s moving fast.” The man of Gondor said. “And against the wind.”

 It was Ithil who finally identified what it was. She closed her eyes, hand clenching at her side, and began to murmur. “Ai, Haruka, Uranus. I need your powers of air and wind.” Her eyes snapped open a moment later, wide with fright. “Crebain!” She called, standing quickly. “They are coming from Nan Curunir. We must hide!”

 People moved into action. The fire was doused in but a few seconds, and within a half of a minute, the camp seemed devoid of life. Moments later, a flock of black ravens shot over their site, squawking loudly and searching the ground below them. Without warning, they circled around and returned from where they had come.

 When the last of the birds disappeared, the Fellowship and Ithil emerged from their hiding places.

 “The passage south is being watched.” Mithrandir dusted his gray cloak off and glanced around at the others.

 Ithil tuned out the rest of the conversation. She knew where this was leading. Involuntarily, her gaze settled on the white mountain of Caradhras nearby. She shuddered, already knowing that the trip up the mountain wouldn’t be much fun.

~

 Ami glanced up from her curled up spot in the library of Imladris. She’d found the large room almost by accident, and had fallen into complete amazement at the tons and tons of books and scrolls that had been stacked on each shelf.

 Now, she set the book she was currently reading- one of the few written in English in the library- and glanced towards the east. She felt Usagi’s presence, very very dimly, and realized that her princess was calling on Mercury’s powers for some reason or another.

 A few quick words transformed her into her senshi form and her visor appeared over her eyes. She let it focus on the energy signature that the senshi of the moon radiated. “She’s on a mountain.” She realized out loud. Now she understood. The other girl was trying to control whatever ice storm had come up. And, much to Ami’s shock, it wasn’t working too well.

~

 High atop the mountain, Ithil smiled slightly as she felt more power from Mercury channel through her. So, Ami had finally realized what she was up to. Still, the combined power wasn’t enough, and the Elf collapsed to the ground as a wave of snow and rocks came piling down on top of her.

 She was gasping when she came up for breath, and she smiled thankfully when Legolas lowered a hand to help her up. Between the two of them, they managed to pull each of the hobbits out of the snow bank and to their feet.

 Once everyone was safe, Legolas pulled Ithil aside and wrapped his arms around her. “They’re going to decide to go through Moria.” His voice was quiet, but she could still hear it over the raging winds.

 “You know as well as I do that sometime will go horribly wrong if we go there.” Ithil shuddered and looked down as if trying to see the mines that stretched far below their feet. “There’s something in there. Fire. Familiar fire, tinged with the darkness of the Dark Lord.”

 Legolas nodded. “We shall have to be extremely careful.” He said. “Whatever’s down there is something that none of us will be able to take on.”

~

 Rei let the fire surround her. It was almost soothing, the flames flickering on her skin. She didn’t know how much time had passed. Nor did she know when the shadow had begun, faintly at first then more and more present. It seeped into her skin with the fire, blending together to form a mixture of light and dark that still seemed all too familiar.

 ::: You are mine ::: The voice was back. It often came back when she began to think. ::: My creation. :::

 The fire senshi sighed and let the words roll over her like a caress. “Of course.” She let the words slip from her mouth. “Always, for ever.”

 There was a sound like laughter. ::: Always ::: Then the shadow came more, and the fire less. And she screamed as the pain enveloped her and all thoughts of Rei vanished from her mind.

 Now she was a servant of her Dark master.

 A child of fire that he had created and given life to.

 A Balrog. 


	9. Chapter 9

Moria was dark. After the initial shock of entering- the Watcher in the water, the collapse of the entrance to seal them in, the discovery of the dead Dwarves- things had fallen into a mundane routine. The first two days passed with few words spoken between any. Even the Halflings were quiet.

 The silence combined with the darkness and pressed in on Ithil’s mind. This place was weakening her, and she could feel the grief inside her heart combining with the grief caused by her surroundings. She managed to keep to herself, staying as far from Mithrandir’s staff-light as she could so none could see the pain that she was unable to hide on her face.

 It was not until late in the evening- though how one discerned morning and night in this place, no one knew- that the blond Elf finally gave in to her pain. She had been walking just before Boromir, who was taking up the rear of the party, when she stopped. The Man of Gondor almost ran in to her. Reflexes alone allowed him to catch her when she collapsed and lower her unconscious body to the ground.

 Legolas had been wrapped up in his own thoughts, keeping a careful distance from Ithil as they walked. He knew that his love was angry with being forced into this marriage. He knew also that she was more angry with him because he did nothing to stop it. She knew as well as he did that there was nothing to be done, and he understood that she needed a vent for her anger lest her grief overcome her. So he kept his distance and waited until she was ready to let him hold her again.

 The cry from Boromir shocked him out of his thoughts and he whirled around with just enough time to watch the other Elf collapse. He was at her side in an instant. Behind him, he could hear the others approaching, but he ignored them. Not caring any more about the distance he was trying to keep, he gathered the smaller figure in his arms and held her tightly against his chest.

 Mithrandir moved to stand above the two Elves and nodded thoughtfully. “I suppose this is as good as any a place to set up camp for the night.” He said. He spared a glance at Legolas and waited patiently until the worried Elf met his gaze. “Get her under some blankets and let her sleep it off. She’s exhausted, though she’d never admit it, and there’s grief in her heart. Let her sleep for now.”

 Nodding, the man did as he was told and wrapped the younger Elf in a blanket provided by Aragorn. The man seemed worried, but didn’t intrude on the Elfin couple that was settled in at the fringes of the camp.

 The four Hobbits were asleep soon after supper had been finished. Boromir and Aragorn stayed awake a little longer, talking softly about one thing or another. Gandalf had pulled his hat down over his eyes and appeared, for all that it was worth, to be asleep. Soon it was only Gimli who was awake, the Dwarf having claimed first watch that night.

 When he was sure everyone else was asleep, he stood and moved over to where Legolas was still sitting. The Elf had not moved during the entire night, not even to eat. Now, Gimli brought him over a bowl of lukewarm stew and a crust of bread.

 “You have to eat sometime, lad.” The small man settled down next to Legolas, keeping his voice low. “It won’t do her any good if you are unable to stay conscious when she does wake up.”

 Legolas ignored him for a few more moments, his fingers gently tracing the circles under Ithil’s open but blank eyes. “How could I have missed this?” He asked after a moment. “I knew she was not sleeping, but I assumed that she would not push herself to the edge like this.” He turned pleading eyes on the Dwarf. “I cannot live with out her. She knows this. Yet she still toys with death every day she keeps up this façade.”

 There was a slightly shocked note in his voice when Gimli spoke up. He had never seen emotion like this from any Elf, especially the one who had been at odds with him during the entire journey. “She will be okay, Master Elf.” He nodded reassuringly. “She’s an Elf; never have I seen a race endure more and survive. She will be fine when she wakes up. You, on the other hand, would not be worse off with a good meal in you.” He shoved the bowl closer to the Elf and smiled when it was picked up. “Disentangle yourself from the lass for a few minutes and get some nourishment in you.”

 A genuine smile was on Legolas’ face when his responded. It was, he noted later, the first time he had ever smiled at the Dwarf. “Thank you, Gimli. You are indeed a good friend.” He sipped at the cooling stew and used the crust to scoop out the chunks of meat in it.

 When the bowl had finally been emptied, Gimli took it from him and rose. “You should probably get some rest tonight.” He said. “I’ll be on watch for a few more hours now, then Aragorn. If she wakes, you’ll know.”

 Legolas nodded and wrapped his arms back around the waist of the sleeping Elf. “Goodnight, Master Dwarf.” He said. He let his eyes slide out of focus and was asleep, blue eyes staring blankly into nothing.

~

 Aragorn poked at the fire with a long stick and sighed into the quiet. It was almost morning, according to his internal clock. Soon it would be time to wake the others and begin the morning meal before setting off again. He stirred restlessly and turned slightly to check on Legolas. He had been friends with the Elf for many years, from when they had met while he was tracking the creature Gollum, and it worried him to no end to see his friend like this.

 Two shining sapphires caught his gaze and he realized with a start that Ithil was finally awake. She appeared quite content with the position she was in and made no move to wake up the man whose arms encircled her.

 “Is he alright?” Her voice was soft, so soft he almost didn’t hear it. Legolas did not awaken and she kept her breathing steady so he would remain asleep. “He did not wake when I did, so I assume he is quite exhausted.”

 The Human nodded. “He was up late watching over you.” His voice was just as low, but he new she could hear it with little trouble. “And you, my lady? You are, after all, the one who collapsed. How are you doing?”

 Ithil smiled softly. She very carefully slid out from the protective arms of Legolas and walked soundlessly to his side, sitting down next to him. “Ai Aragorn… Estel… we have known each other for over eight decades and you still call me Lady. You must remember, I changed your dirty loincloths when you were a babe. You call me Ithil or sister, and nothing more or less.”

 Laughing silently, Aragorn nodded. “I apologize my sister.” He said at last. His expression returned to its seriousness. “But I do wish to know. How are you? Lord Elrond is, I believe, the only one who does not know the grief in your heart.”

 A wistful sigh escaped from Ithil’s lips. “I am fine.” She said. “But I love Legolas, and I do not think I will survive if parted from him like father has arranged. But in answer to your question, I am fine. It is only the darkness of these caves. Were I out in the fresh air, surrounded by the trees again, I would be much better.”

 There was a small, almost polite cough from behind them and Ithil jumped as she realized that someone else was awake. Legolas, to be exact. He pushed himself up and moved to join them near the fire.

 “How long have you been awake?” Ithil immediately curled into his side and sighed in content when he pressed his lips to her forehead.

 “I have been awake since you have.” Legolas grinned when she looked startled. “You are no good at pretending, melamin.” He rubbed a small circle in her back with his thumb. “You are sure that you are okay? I do not like that you’re already up and about so soon after that… incident.”

 Ithil smiled and pressed her lips to his. “I am fine.” She said. “But we need to talk.” At his questioning look, she elaborated. “You do not want me to marry this Haldir, but you will not let me stop this marriage. Why?”

 Blue eyes fell to the ground and he exhaled deeply. “Because there are only two ways of stopping this wedding. Disowning yourself is one of them. The other is to let yourself leave Arda and enter the Halls of Mandos. I will not let you do either of those.”

 “Do you love me?”

 The question caught him completely by surprise. He focused his startled gaze on her face and was unable to speak for several moments. “Ai, Ithil. To ask me something like that.” He swallowed and seemed to be at a loss of words, a first for the Elven Prince. “I love you more than Beren ever loved Luthien. It is more than love. You are the other half of my soul, the one that I would forsake the lands of Valinor for. You are-

 He found himself cut off as the soft lips of the Elf Lady covered his own. All thought immediately left and he focused only on this kiss, bringing his hands up to rest gently, one on her neck and one on the back of her head.

 Aragorn, totally forgotten by this point, cleared his throat. “It is time for the others to awaken.” He said. “If you two would please take this display elsewhere; I’d prefer not to scandalize the Hobbits, especially this early in the morning.

 Ithil flipped him the one gesture that was known in all dimensions and did not break the kiss. Instead, Legolas scooped her up, absorbing her sound of surprise with his mouth, and carried her out of sight.

 The Human watched them vanish off in to the darkness. Laughing to himself, he made note to remind the Hobbits that there’d be extra for breakfast that morning, as two of their party were… otherwise occupied. 


	10. Chapter 10

Day three in the mines passed without incident. Legolas stayed with Ithil at the very back of the party and didn’t, as far as any could see, move more than a foot from her side throughout the day’s walk. The she-Elf seemed just as reluctant to be separated from her lover, and ate all her meals at his side.

 When the time came once more for the group to stop, the two laid out their bedrolls side by side and spoke together in fast-paced Elvish until all others had fallen asleep. Legolas, who was on first watch that night, stroked her back until she fell asleep with her head in his lap.

 Neither of them sensed the importance of that night. Ithil smiled as the Elvin Prince hummed a snatch of a song to comfort her and he was content simply to let her use him as a pillow. Both kissed each other softly and murmured soft endearments before wishing each other goodnight. It was to be the last night they would ever spend in each other’s company for the rest of their time in Middle-earth.

~

 Had Ithil not been too busy layering her sword’s blade with the black blood of Orcs and Goblins, she probably would have cursed the stupidity of the Dwarves. With a muttered Oath, she switched the sword to her other hand and drew the long knife she kept in her boot. Combined, the small blond Elf made quick work of the dark creatures around her.

 It was not until the majority of the Orcs around her were dead that she finally took in the rest of the battle around her. During the fight, she had ignored the shouts and noises from around her, refusing to let her focus slip for a mere moment. She had heard the crash and banging when the Cave Troll had entered, had heard Frodo’s guttural scream for help when he’d been injured, and had felt the large vibration that came when Legolas had finally brought the large beast to the ground.

 Now, as she wiped the blood and gore from her blades onto the leather jerkin of a dead Orc, she allowed herself to focus on the other issues. Aragorn was helping Frodo to his feet, the Mithril vest the Hobbit wore having saved his life. She sheathed the sword but kept the knife out and ready.

 The sound of more Orcs massing in the caverns beyond the room they were in caught everyone’s attention.

 “To the Bridge of Khazad-Dum” Gandalf gripped his staff and made for the door, the rest of the company falling in quickly behind him. The Bridge would lead out of this dark confinement of rock and in to the fresh air and bright sun. After four days, it would be wonderful to be anywhere but in Moria.

 Legolas grabbed her hand as they ran, his eyes flickering from the path before him to her, back and forth. “You are all right?” He asked, the question punctuated by harsh breathing. The darkness was taking its toll on him, it seemed. No Elf should have been exhausted after such a small fight.

 “I am fine.” Ithil let her own gaze check over her love, making sure there were no injuries. “I will be better when we are out of this place, though.”

 Laughing, the taller Elf just kept running, following the white light of Mithrandir’s staff ahead of him.

~

 Heat. It was almost unbearably hot. Ash covered her pale skin and Ithil had to squint her eyes to see ahead. She had yet to look behind her, but she knew what it was that followed them. Gandalf had identified it as soon as the first drumbeats were heard. A Balrog. A demon of the ancient world.

 In the old stories, Glorfindel had slain a Balrog once. He had died in the process, only to be brought back later by Ithil’s father. Still, the story came to mind as she fled down the stairs. The old legends never spoke of such furious heat, a heat that seemed to burn at her flesh.

 At the foot of the bridge, she finally gave in to temptation and turned to look at the creature of Flame and Shadow that had long been but a myth to her. And there she froze, unmoving, her eyes focused wide on the winged demon before her.   
 Mars. Fire. Rei. Her friend. For a moment, the Balrog seemed to shift, and there was a vision of a chained girl surrounded by fire. Black eyes stared blankly, mirroring the black eyes of the giant that moved slowly towards the Bridge behind her.

 Ithil felt the tears fall, her gaze unmoving, fixed on the fiery creature before her. She could hear the others around her, urging her to move on, to run from the demon before her. But she couldn’t move.

 “Rei?” Her voice was faint, but she knew the fire-creature had heard her. “Rei, why are you doing this? What happened?”

 “Snaga… bubhosh burz durb… snaga thrak uluk… thrak ash nazg…” The Balrog, so named by Gandalf, didn’t stop, but slowed slightly and replied in the harsh language of the Black Speech.   
[Slave… great dark ruler… slave bring them all… bring one ring…]

 Ithil… no Usagi at this moment as she faced her best friend… resisted the urge to cover her ears against the grating dark speech. She didn’t understand the tongue, but she knew without a doubt that this demon, this fire warrior that the Dark Lord had someone gotten control of, was her friend.

 In a last attempt, she spoke again. “Doushite Rei? Doushite shiteruno? [Why Rei? Why are you doing this?]”

 Now the Balrog stopped. It’s flaming head tilted slightly to the side, studying the person before it. “Iie…” the voice was distinctly feminine, not quite Rei’s, but close. Then, with an angry screech, a burnt, twisted claw struck out, narrowly missing the young blond.

 “Gomen nasai, Rei-chan.” With a last glance at the monster that was once her friend, she turned and fled across the narrow stone bridge and into the safety of her lover’s arms.

 Now only Gandalf had to cross. He made it halfway before he turned, drawing his sword and bringing it together with his staff as if to form a barrier. “You shall not pass!” His voice carried over the noise of the destructing caverns around him. “I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Udun. Go back to the Shadow! You shall not pass!”

 With that, he brought the staff and sword down, a bright wall of white light appearing before him and splitting the bridge between the Balrog- Rei- and himself. The creature fell forward, the stone crumbling beneath its feet, and fell down into the dark abyss below.

 With a soft cry, Usagi sank to her knees, Legolas’ arms around her, supporting her. She buried her face in her hands and wept, ragged sobs tearing from her. So it was that she did not see the whip of the fire creature strike up and hit Gandalf, knocking him backwards to follow the fall of the Balrog into the pit.

 She only looked up to see his last words being spoken before he let go. “Fly you fools!” Then he, too, was gone into the darkness.

~

 Aragorn had given them a minute or two to rest once outside the caves, some time to grieve and catch their breaths before moving again. Ithil knelt alone behind one of the bigger boulders, her hands cupped around the small, infinitely pure gem that was her most prized possession.

 With practice gathered from centuries of use, she invoked the gem’s power. Even in the daylight, it glowed brightly. “Ginzuishou.” Her voice was a whisper. “Send them away. Wipe their memories and don’t let them remember this ever happened… let them forget me. Especially Rei.”

 A small flash signaled her wish’s fulfillment. Then, with another small flash of light, the stone vanished, returning to it’s resting place.

 Legolas came then, rising from his watching place a few yards away and coming to sit next to her. “You did what you had to do.” He said softly.

~*~

 In Imladris, three girls in the training yard suddenly froze. All three exchanged an unreadable look. Something had happened, but they weren’t sure what. But it was something bad.

 A few minutes later, all three girls vanished in a flash of blue, yellow, and green light. They were never seen in Middle-earth again. 


	11. Chapter 11

While they had traveled the caves, time had passed differently for them. Without a difference in day and night, they had not had any way of knowing what hour it was outside. Therefore, it was a mild surprise to them when they finally got their bearings straight and had pushed their grief out of the way to be dealt with later, to find that it was actually early morning. Four and a half days had passed since they had entered Moria, late at night. Now, the sun was rising and the sky was still gray and cold.

Aragorn had taken over as leader, and he turned their journey to the east, heading towards the orange light that was just appearing on the horizon. After helping Frodo and Sam to their feet and getting them walking, he'd pointed out the barely visible smudge of black on the horizon.

"There lie the outer woods of Lothlorien." He announced.

The four Hobbits were extremely relieved by this statement, but Ithil paled, her already pale face going almost deadly white. Only Legolas noticed, and he just held on to her tighter. Gimli made a rude comment about Elves and their trees, muttering under his breath as he began to follow the rest of the Fellowship to their destination. Boromir simply swung his shield over one shoulder, glanced around to make sure everyone was on their feet and moving, and set off without a word. He seemed the least bit affected by the events that had come to pass in the Mines, but the grief at loosing Gandalf was still present in his eyes.

It seemed that they walked for hours, the sun climbing up just to their left, filling their vision with golden light. When the Halflings complained about fatigue, Aragorn reluctantly called a halt and camp was quickly set up for lunch.

With Lorien being so close, Sam and Merry quickly set to work finishing off the party's already low food supply. Frodo and Pippin sat nearby, watching their friends cook. Soon, sausages were sizziling on a pan over a small fire, and the last loaf of waybread was being divided.

For the first time in several hours, the adults of the group allowed themselves to relax slightly. Gimli took to polishing his ax, cleaning the Orc blood from the elegantly carved blade. Boromir and Aragorn sat together on a large mound a few feet from the fire, both watching out at the horizon towards Moria for signs of trouble. They didn't speak much, but when they did it was short and soft.

Ithil had curled up in Legolas' lap. Both of his arms were wrapped around her and the blond she-Elf had her head resting on his shoulder. Her pale blue eyes were closed, though she was clearly not asleep, and she didn't move except to occasionally move as close as she could to the other Elf.

"Ai, Itihl, men tolo lim na Laurelindorenan." Legolas watched sadly as his lover opened her eyes and turned her grief-filled gaze on the older man. "Men aen gar band." [Ai, Ithil, we are getting close to Lothlorien. We should be careful.]

A deep sigh was released from the smaller of the two, and Itihl squirmed around in Legolas' arms to bring her face to his. She kissed him gently before speaking. "I will always be bound to you." She spoke calmly, her voice betraying none of the emotional turmoil that her eyes were clearly showing. "But I understand what you wish me to do. I will not- can not, love Haldir. I love you, my Greenleaf. When we get to Lorien, I will speak to my grandmother. Perhaps she will understand."

To her surprise, Legolas shook his head, the movement sending one small tear free from the corner of his eye. "No, my Ithil, my precious golden moon. You will marry Haldir. Your father wishes it." He took a shuddering breath and continued. "I will not loose you. We are bound, and nothing can change that. But your duty is to your people and to your family. I have told you before. Haldir is a good man."

The grief seemed to vanish almost instantly from Ithil's face. A raging fury replaced it, and Ithil's next words were low, harsh, and cold. "How can you say this?" She asked. "How can you betray me like this?"

Legolas did the only thing he could and pulled her down gently into his lap, cradling her head to his chest. With the simple movement, Itihl broke down and sobs shook her body as she released every bit of sadness her heart held.

"Im meleth le. [I love you]" The words were difficult to discern from the sobs, but he heard them all the same. "I will make no promises to you, because I cannot promise to keep any of them. But I will meet this Haldir, and I will do what I can. That is all I can offer you."

A soft kiss was pressed to her forehead, and Legolas brought one hand up to brush the tear trails off of her cheeks. "That is more than enough." He glanced up, noticing the Hobbits had already finished their meal as the two of them had talked, and Aragorn was already getting the camp cleaned up. Everyone in the Fellowship, he noted, was doing their best to avoid looking at the couple. That was fine with him though, and the Mirkwood Prince helped the love of his life to her feet.

"I love you too." He whispered. "Always, and forever. Even when we get in sight of Lothlorien and I must leave your side, even when you meet and are taken away by Haldir and his kin, even then, remember: I am always with you. My soul is forever tied to yours, and I will always be with you where ever you are."

Then he kissed her, his lips claiming hers for what they both new would be the last time.

It was several minutes before either moved.

~

The trees in Lothlorien were old. For a brief moment, Ithil forgot why she was there and paused to admire the perfectness of the forest. The air was fresh and cool, and the mid-afternoon's sun didn't shine so harshly, a result of the thick green leaves high above their heads.

The illusion of tranquility was abruptly shattered by the appearance of four Elves, all tall, with pale blond hair that was only a shade lighter than Ithil's. Each held carved bows, drawn with arrows notched, facing the Fellowship. Legolas had managed to get his bow out and drawn, and Ithil's hand was on her belt knife, ready to draw, until she realized who it was.

One of the new Elves stepped foreword, arrow returning to the quiver at his side. He noticed Gimi's glare at him and grinned slightly. "The dwarf breaths so loud, we could have shot him in the dark." He said with a slight accent, noticing the slightly shocked looks of most of the group. He nodded in greeting, his eyes roaming over the party of nine. His gaze settled at last on Ithil.

The Imladris-born Elf had her features masked to neutrality, and she met the roaming gaze with a calm one of her own. She didn't recognize him, but then the last time she had been in Lothlorien she had been. otherwise occupied. At that thought, she had to resist glancing over to where she knew Legolas was standing.

"You are the Lady Ithil of Imladris, then." The Elf sketched a small bow. "It is an honor to finally meet you. I must say, the rumors do you little justice."

A small frown threatened to appear, and a dozen questions raced through her thoughts. The one that came foremost to mind she asked aloud. "I apologize, milord, but though you seem to know me, I am afraid I know not who you are."

Smiling, the other Elf nodded. "Of course, we have never met before." He said. "I am Haldir, of the Galadhrim of Lorien."


	12. Chapter 12

**< < >>** signify a flashback

Passing On:

 Imladris was unusually quiet, the laughter and sounds of training that the three young girls absent from the other afternoon sounds that filtered in through the Lord Elrond’s open window. He sat at the desk in his study, attempting to focus on the papers before him. A quill sat untouched on top of the stack of parchment, and the half-Elf made no move to pick it up.

 It had only been a few hours since the strange burst of power had startled the Eldar from his work, only for him to discover that Ithil’s friends, the Istari, had mysteriously vanished. The three had been training in the courtyard, learning to fight without their magick. Glorfindel had been overseeing their practice at the time.

 It had been early in the morning, but Elrond always rose early nowadays. He had already eaten and bathed and was setting to work when a burst of power, silver and embedded with strands of the stars it seemed, had flashed through his awareness. As lord of the region, his magick always told him exactly what was happening within the borders. He hadn’t thought twice before abandoning his work and rushing towards the source of the power burst. Glorfindel had met him halfway.

 **< <** “They are gone.” The blond Elf, one who had passed through Mandos only to return, had a look that blended awe and shock on his features.

 Elrond had not understood at the time, had not realized immediately what his seneschal was telling him. “Who is gone?” His worry that something had happened to one of his children made his words sound like a plea.

 “The three women that Ithil brought here.”

 The realization that none of his children were in any trouble allowed him to relax, but only until the other Elf’s word fully sunk in. “What do you mean, they’re gone?” He had asked. “Where did they go?”

 Glorfindel had just shaken his head. “They just vanished.”  **> >**

  None knew what had happened to the three strange visitors. According to Glorfindel and Erestor, who had been the only two people to see them at the moment that they vanished, had reported that lights of blue, golden yellow, and green had filled the courtyard, almost blinding them. When the lights died down, the three girls were gone.

 What puzzled him the most was that the power he had sensed in his mind had been silver and gold. The power that had been seen was not. Somehow, though he couldn’t be sure why, he knew that the power was connected to the moon, the fair Ithil that had been full and bright only the night before.

 That thought led to others, and an image of his daughter came to mind. Thoughts of the sudden vanishings were set aside as he tried to sense his daughter’s emotions. She was too far away, and she had never been an easy one to read. With Arwen, even with the twins, Elrond could sense their location and emotions without almost any effort. But with Ithil, all he could gather was a distant sense of sadness.

 He knew he shouldn’t have sent her to marry, but he felt that, with time, a bond would form between her and Haldir. Despite Elladan and Elrohir’s pleas for him to reconsider, he would not back down on this decision.

~

 The only movement Legolas allowed was the clenching of his hand on the smooth grip of his bow. He had lowered the weapon to his side and returned the arrow to its quiver when he realized that the abrupt appearances were but Lorien Elves. Now, he wished he had fired without hesitation.

 Haldir, the gentleman that he was, kissed the back of Ithil’s hand and smiled warmly at her. “I expect that you are fatigued and would like to rest.” He said. He didn’t wait for an answer before signaling another Elf behind him to come forward. “This is Rumil. He will take you to a Talan and have servants get you all that you require.”

 ‘One last night with my heart and soul.’ With that thought, Ithil’s eyes flickered over to the Fellowship, meeting the other pair of bright blue eyes for a split moment. In that second, eons passed between them and the Elf Lady could feel the love surge in the bond between them.

 Mistaking her gaze for concern, Rumil gently placed a hand on her arm. “Haldir, my brother, will take them to see the Lady.” He said. “They will all be fine, and shall be present at the binding tomorrow. You have no need to be concerned.”

 With a last mental thought of love to the other half of her soul, Ithil allowed herself to be led away.

 Legolas watched them go, the two blond Elves disappearing into the shadows of the trees. He felt his heart break at the realization that the next time he saw her, she would no longer be his.

~

 Haldir tried to hide his smile as he led the Fellowship up the steps of the huge, magnificent Mallorn tree that housed his Lord and Lady. Ithil was everything her father had said she was, but she was absolutely more beautiful than he could have imagined. He was quite content to marrying her; she was of high rank and would become lady of Lothlorien whenever her grandmother Galadriel passed to Valinor.

 She was a good match. Tomorrow, they’d be bound, and that was that. He didn’t let himself think much more on the subject as he presented the Fellowship to Celeborn and Galadriel.

~

 Galadriel was speaking, though of what Legolas couldn’t say. He would pass it off as grief if asked, but at the moment his thoughts were totally focused on Ithil. His darling, perfect Ithil, who was currently alone in one of these wood Elves’ excuses for a house. He tried to remind himself that Haldir was a good match, that it was for the good of their race, and that her father would never approve of him being with her, but all his mind would accept was that he wanted her back.

 The soothing presence of the Lady of the Woods entered his mind and she spoke to him privately, as, he was sure, she had done throughout the rest of the group. ‘ _Legolas, Prince of Mirkwood_.’ She tried to view his thoughts, but found herself blocked. ‘ _Why do you hide your thoughts and feelings, little Prince?_ ’

 For some reason, the intrusion into his mind infuriated him, and Legolas allowed the mental blocks he had pushed up to fall down for a split second, allowing the Lady to sense the massive amounts of grief and sadness that he had tried not to allow to take over. Just as soon as the wave of feelings appeared, it was gone, again pushed back into the back of his mind to be dealt with another time.

 ‘ _Why?_ ’ Galadriel was clearly shocked, though she continued to keep a calm façade as she spoke aloud. ‘ _Your grief is not just for the loss of Mithrandir. Tomorrow, my Elf brother, we shall speak together_.’

 The unfamiliar presence left his mind and Legolas allowed a small sigh to escape. He respected the Lady of Lorien immensely, but even she, with her powers of sight and her mythical Mirror, could not see what she and her son in law were doing to Ithil.

 ‘Ai, Ithil.’ Legolas sighed again. ‘I miss you so much already. I hope you are doing alright, meleth-nin.’

~

 The moonlight shown through the open window of her temporary Talan, lighting up the room just enough to see by. Ithil sat on the small palate, face pale and hands clenched into fists. She tried her best to avoid looking at the small, low table that had earlier been set up. The white robes that lay on it seemed to mock her, a sign of freedom soon to be lost forever. The silver circlet that she would wear during the ceremony was neatly set on a piece of white velvet, the silver light from outside reflecting off the pure, shining metal. Next to it, the gold and silver ceremonial dagger lay nestled in it’s own velvety wrappings. At the ceremony, she would present it to Haldir and he, in turn, would use it to cut a single lock of her hair off, to be curled up and worn in a locket around his neck. A symbol of their binding.

 No one seemed to care about the grief that threatened to tear her apart. As soon as she’d arrived, she’d been escorted away from the Fellowship, away from Legolas, and brought to this Talan. Rumil, the Elf that had brought her- and Haldir’s brother, she’d later learned- had explained to her that she would stay the night here in this Talan. Tomorrow after the ceremony, she’d live with Haldir, of course.

 Grief welled up inside her. Grief for Gandalf, so recently fallen to the shadows. For Frodo, who she could feel was facing an increasingly heavy burden. For Rei, of course. Corrupted so easily, turning on those she loved most. Despite how much she had wanted to save her friend from that fate, she had been forced to let her go. Her soul would return to Usagi’s Tokyo, where the senshi’s spirit would be reborn. She grieved for the three senshi, who would wake up in Tokyo Japan and not remember anything. And she grieved for Legolas, who she would never see again as a free woman. Especially for Legolas. She’d been dragged away, not given the slightest chance to say farewell to him.

 Her eyes wandered around the room, moving from the white dress-robes to the pack she’d carried with her on the journey to the golden circlet, and finally settling on the sheathed dagger. Suddenly, she knew what to do. She would show them. Show her father, for forcing her into this situation, show the Elves here in Lorien that seemed to care not for her feelings. She sat down at the small writing table, grabbed a sheet of parchment and quill, and began to write.

~

 With a half-muted gasp, Legolas sat straight up, hand rising to his heart and clutching at it as though in pain. After speaking with the Lady, the group had been brought to this large tent and given food and bedding. Aragorn was the only other one in the tent who awoke, and Legolas found himself meeting those worried brown-eyes.

 “She’s gone.” His voice was faint, choked with sorrow, grief, and an unbearable pain. “She has left us. Left me. Oh, my Ithil…” And the tears fell. For the first time in his nearly 3,000-year life span, he wept.

~

 In Imladris, the dark chambers of Lord Elrond were suddenly thrust into light. The Lord himself leaned against the wall next to the fireplace he’d just lit, one hand clutching the loose tunic over his heart. Where the dull, usually emotionless ball of life in his mind that signified Ithil had once been, there was nothing.

 He had always been able to sense his children. Even Ithil, though the feelings were not so strong, had been present in his mind. Now, only three of the balls of life were there. Ithil was gone.

 With a ragged breath, he quickly moved towards his door and across the corridor to Glorfindel’s chambers. As soon as an escort could be put together, he was leaving for Lothlorien.

 Through a window at the end of the corridor, the silver moon, still mostly full, disappeared behind a dark cloud and it’s light didn’t shine down on Middle-earth for the rest of the night.

~

 The note had been found in the middle of the bed, Ithil’s elegant, flowing script covering the entire page. Beside it, on the once-pristine velvet, the dagger lay. Light no longer reflected off of its now-bloody surface, and a long, golden strand of hair was wrapped around the blade, it too covered in the same red blood. Its significance was not lost among those who found it.

 At the bottom of the page, a few words were scribbled, as though she had been in a hurry, addressed to Legolas.

_Until we meet again, my love…_


	13. Epilogue

_~By the time you find this note, I will no longer be in Middle-earth. Mandos has been calling me for many days now, and Valinor is just as much a choice as the Halls. But I shall deny both of these fates, and leave this world all together. I am going to a place where I cannot be found, a place where the Valar and Eru himself has no hold. It is easier on everyone like this._

_Father, feel not guilty. You could not have known that your decision would result in this. Be comforted by the fact that your choice was a good one. Alas, my heart is already taken, and my fate will not accept the loss of the other half of my soul. I shall not reveal to you who this one who holds my heart is. If he so chooses to tell you, then he will._

_Grandmother, you who did not feel the grief inside me. I realize that your Mirror did not predict this. All I can say to you is that I apologize for spilling the blood of an Elf in this sacred place where no Elf blood has before been shed by force._

_To you… you know who you are. My love, meleth-nin. Until we meet again, my love…_

_Ithil~_    
 

 The note was found less than hour after the blond Elf had vanished from her Talan. No one had seen her leave. It was Legolas and Aragorn who discovered the tear-stained parchment and the bloody knife. The hair stood out on the red background, a golden line upon silver and crimson. Galadriel froze when she saw it, and the realization of what she and her son in law had done dawned in her eyes when a silent Legolas handed her the parchment.

 Elrond arrived by noon, only Glorfindel and his twin sons as escort. It was clear that they had ridden through the night and pushed their mounts to the point of near-death in order to arrive at the woods. When he read the note over, only Glorfindel’s arm around his shoulders kept him on his feet, and even that failed soon after.

 The twin brothers exchanged a look that was unreadable to the rest of the gathered Elves, if it was even noticed at all. They had both tried to prevent this from happening, and it grieved them to learn that it did.

 No mourning service was held, and life, for the most part, moved on. The binding was cancelled, though Haldir was never told why. All he would learn was that Ithil had refused the marriage. Less than a month later, he would lead a small army of Elven soldiers from Imladris, Lothlorien, and Mirkwood to fight with Men at Helm’s Deep. There, he would loose his life, along with hundreds of other Men and Elves, a sacrifice to win the first of many battles for Middle-earth.

 Less than a full day after the loss of Ithil, Legolas found himself walking the woods with Aragorn. He kept silent, his eyes on the ground, and the emotions on his face were those that an Elf should never feel.

 There, with the waning moon above them to light their path, Aragorn told his friend what he had to do. It was harsh, it was heartless, and the future king of Gondor felt ill for having to do it, but it was the only possible way to save the Elf Prince from fading to Mandos.

 “You made an Oath.” Aragorn had not spoken with any compassion in his voice. Instead, his voice had been cold as ice. “You have a commitment to this Fellowship, to aiding Frodo and the other members of this Fellowship on our quest. That is what you must do now. You must do you duty, Legolas Thranduilion, your duty to your people and to this land. How dare you consider breaking this Oath, an Oath pledging your life to save Middle-earth. Would you be an Oath-breaker?”

 And so Legolas found himself acknowledging his duty, and his soul did not pass to the Halls of Mandos. Using the focus of getting to Mordor, and later of saving Merry and Pippin from certain death, he managed to again push back the grief and continue to live.

 And in a world that was not Middle-earth, a pair of glittering blue eyes stared out at the vast ocean before her with a small smile on her lips. There was no pull of the sea here. Instead, the trees called out to her. They invited her to climb them and rest in their branches until she was rested. A long gash ran across the palm of her left hand. Already it was healing, but it would scar and serve as a reminder of what she left behind. Exhausted, though more so than she should have been, she realized, the young woman climbed into the arms of a large tree and let her eyes fade to nothingness.


End file.
